prp-workflow

name

prp-workflow

description

Product Requirements Prompt (PRP) workflow for systematic feature implementation. PRPs are implementation-ready plans with full context, task blueprints, and validation gates. This skill should be used when the user wants to implement a complex feature systematically, asks to "create a PRP" or "generate a PRP", mentions "PRP workflow", asks to "clarify" or "review" a PRP for ambiguities, asks to "execute" an existing PRP, or asks to "verify" implementation against a PRP. Four modes: Generation (create PRP from requirements), Clarification (resolve ambiguities before execution), Execution (implement from PRP), Verification (validate implementation matches PRP).

PRP Workflow

Four-phase workflow: Generation -> Clarification (recommended) -> Execution -> Verification

Scope check: PRPs are for features that touch 4+ files, introduce new patterns, or have non-obvious integration points. For smaller changes, skip the PRP and implement directly.

---

Mode 1: PRP Generation

Generate a PRP from a feature request.

Process

1. Launch 2 parallel research agents:

   Agent #1 - Codebase (subagent_type: "Explore"): Search for similar features, conventions, test patterns, and architecture. Read key files and return synthesized findings — patterns to follow, naming conventions, relevant abstractions, and how similar features are structured.

   Agent #2 - External (subagent_type: "general-purpose"): Use context7 MCP tools and web search for library documentation, version-specific APIs, best practices, and known gotchas. Return concrete details: correct API signatures, required config, version constraints.

2. Clarify with user using AskUserQuestion for any decisions that emerged from research (patterns to follow, scope boundaries, integration approach)

3. Generate PRP using the template in references/prp-template.md

4. Save to plans/{XXX}-{feature-name}.md

   • Auto-increment from highest number in plans/
   • Filename: lowercase, hyphens, max 50 chars

5. Report: confidence score (1-10), list specific unknowns or risks, then ask user: clarify or execute?

---

Mode 2: PRP Clarification

Identify and resolve underspecified areas before implementation. Do this in the main context (no sub-agent) — the PRP and taxonomy fit easily, and you need conversational context with the user to formulate good questions.

Process

1. Read PRP and the taxonomy in references/clarification-taxonomy.md

2. Analyze the PRP against relevant taxonomy categories (skip categories that clearly don't apply to this feature's scale). Mark each relevant category as Clear / Partial / Missing. Prioritize gaps by (Impact x Uncertainty).

3. Present questions to user via AskUserQuestion (up to 4 per call):

   AskUserQuestion({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "Which authentication method should the system use?",
         header: "Auth",
         multiSelect: false,
         options: [
           { label: "OAuth 2.0 + JWT", description: "Stateless, scalable" },
           { label: "Session cookies", description: "Traditional, requires storage" }
         ]
       }
     ]
   })
   

4. Integrate answers into PRP:

   • Add ## Clarifications section with ### Session YYYY-MM-DD
   • Record: - Q: <question> -> A: <answer>
   • Update relevant PRP sections per the integration table in the taxonomy reference

5. Report coverage summary and recommend next step

Early Exit

• No critical gaps: proceed to execution
• PRP missing: generate first (Mode 1)

---

Mode 3: PRP Execution

Implement a feature from an existing PRP. Run directly (no sub-agent).

Process

1. Read PRP completely — note success criteria and validation commands

2. Create task list from the PRP's implementation blueprint using TodoWrite

3. Implement — work through tasks systematically, running validation commands after each major step

4. If the plan needs updating: when you discover something that contradicts or isn't covered by the PRP, pause, explain the issue to the user, update the PRP, then continue

5. Report completion summary: files modified, validation results, any deviations from PRP

Session Resumption

If a session ends mid-execution, the next session can resume by reading the PRP and checking TodoWrite + git status for progress.

---

Mode 4: PRP Verification

Validate that implementation matches the PRP after execution.

Process

1. Locate PRP and changes — identify the PRP file and determine the diff scope (git diff for uncommitted, git diff <base-branch>...HEAD for a feature branch)

2. Launch a verification agent (subagent_type: "general-purpose"):

   The agent should:

   • Read the PRP, extracting: success criteria, blueprint tasks, data models, integration points, and validation commands
   • Review all changes via git diff
   • For each PRP requirement, verify corresponding implementation exists
   • Flag significant changes not traceable to PRP requirements
   • Run validation commands from the PRP
   • Return: requirement-to-implementation mapping, coverage percentage, gaps, and deviations

3. Present findings in three categories:

   • Implemented as specified: requirements fulfilled per PRP
   • Deviations: implementation differs from PRP (note if improved or problematic)
   • Gaps: PRP requirements missing from implementation

4. Recommend action:

   • All green: ready to commit/PR
   • Minor deviations: update PRP to reflect reality, or adjust implementation
   • Gaps: return to execution mode to complete missing work

Early Exit

• No PRP found: ask user to locate or generate first
• No changes detected: nothing to verify

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File Locations

• PRPs: plans/{XXX}-{feature-name}.md
• Template: references/prp-template.md
• Taxonomy: references/clarification-taxonomy.md